The latest development code for Google’s Pixelbook device shows references for an AltOS mode; while it’s still not clear what the AltOS mode will do, there’s a good chance it will allow users to more easily dual boot other operating systems alongside Chrome OS. On the other hand it could be just for letting developers to more easily boot into Fuchsia OS, Google’s under-development operating system.

In the commit comments, go/vboot-windows is mentioned which suggests that booting into Microsoft Windows may natively be supported by the Pixelbook too.

“Evidence is pretty light for this, so we're still at the speculative stage for what AltOS could mean. Perhaps this is to make it easier for the internal developers to boot into Fuschia; perhaps the reviewer comment means that this is for booting Windows natively.”

Whatever the results of the work will be, they can only be good. The Pixelbook is a very pricey laptop with decent specifications which is capable of much more than Chrome OS’ current, limited, use cases.

Do you follow Chrome OS news? What do you think the new changes will bring?